World-famous tenor Andrea Bocelli has announced his first album collaboration with his 24-year-old son Matteo and 10-year-old daughter Virginia. A Family Christmas will be released on October 21 via Decca/Capitol Records as a showcase for their multi-generational talents, on a range of holiday favorites.
Introducing the project today is the song “The Greatest Gift,” a new, original track, written and arranged especially for this album. Composed by the multiple award-winning team of Amy Wadge, Jonas Myrin, and Stephan Moccio, it celebrates peace and love at Christmas time. It features the Bocellis singing in growing harmony as the music reaches a stirring final chorus, accompanied by a string orchestra and choir. The music video for the song will follow on Saturday (10).
A Family Christmas is produced by Moccio, the multi-Grammy-winning composer and Academy Award nominee, whose credits include Celine Dion, The Weeknd, Miley Cyrus, and Barbra Streisand. He has also contributed new arrangements for the album, which captures the festive spirit of the family.
“We are offering our small, intimate, and heartfelt gift to anyone who wishes to enjoy the soundtrack of Christmas in the Bocelli home,” they say, of a record that features new interpretations of traditional carols arranged for their three voices, including “Away in a Manger” and “Joy To The World.”
Also included are popular Christmas tunes from around the world such as “Feliz Navidad” and another new song, “Il Giorno Piu Speciale,” written by Federica Abbate, Cheope, Katoo and Andrea Bocelli. The trio of voices intertwine and echo on a rousing, opening rendition of “Do You Hear What I Hear?’”.
The album also shines individual spotlights on each member of the family, with solo tracks, duets and trios. It provides 10-year-old Virginia Bocelli with her recording debut, after she joined her father for a memorable performance of “Hallelujah” during the hugely popular Believe in Christmas concert of 2020, which was livestreamed from the Teatro Regio di Pama. She also sings the tender opening for “Away in a Manger” and “Over the Rainbow,” and has her own solo track, “When Christmas Comes to Town.”
Matteo Bocelli, 24, signed to Capitol Records in 2019 after a fast rise to fame the year before, when he duetted with his father on the hit song “Fall on Me,” from Andrea’s bestselling Sì album, which debuted at No.1 in the US and UK. The track’s emotive video, featuring images of father and son through the years, has now surpassed 100 million views. Matteo and Andrea are together again for “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” while Matteo duets with Virginia on John & Yoko’s “Happy Xmas (War is Over),” and goes solo for the closing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”
“I think there is nothing more beautiful than making music with your kids,” says Andrea, who takes the lead on the album’s “The First Noël” and “Buon Natale.” “I consider it a privilege.” Concludes Matteo: “Singing these songs together, feeling the holiday warmth with my family is something really special. That’s what Christmas is about – making memories together to cherish forever. It’s really exciting to think that people will have a copy of our album sitting wrapped under the tree.”
The full A Family Christmas tracklist is:
1. Do You Hear What I Hear?
2. Away in a Manger
3. Feliz Navidad
4. The First Noël
5. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
6. Over the Rainbow
7. Buon Natale
8. Joy To The World
9. The Greatest Gift
10. When Christmas Comes to Town
11. Happy Xmas (War is Over)
12. Il Giorno Piu Speciale
13. I’ll Be Home for Christmas